Monday, December 3, 2012

Provodenciales

(As always click images to view larger!)

After much deliberation and procrastination to choose a spot for our next vacation, Andrea and I settled on the island of Provodenciales in the Turks and Caicos. Determined to relax after our initial booking was dashed by the likes of the superstorm, which nipped both us and the island, we set off for a week in the sun, the water, and a calmer mindset.

The area of the island we stayed at was known as "Grace Bay" (seen below), which is known for snorkeling, and beautiful beaches. Something I enjoyed was a lack of obnoxious water-sports in the area. There were no jetskis or tubing to be seen, and only farther off off deep sea fishing vessels (less than a mile off shore is a 7000 foot drop off) and some para-sailing boats dotted the area.

Our resort features the Bight Reef (camera left) in which I spent probably several hours a day snorkeling, and using the new HDHero2 camera to video and snapshot wildlife in the ocean. (It's as fun as it sounds).

Since the trade winds often blow through the area, the ocean didn't often cooperate for that glassy/foggy look I wanted to capture in full daylight. The shot below was taken as it was getting quite dark, and was about a 7 second exposure if I recall correctly.

Our very first afternoon snorkeling on Sunday we spotted this fellow munching on sea grass next to the reef. While he was a bit weary of me diving down to say hello, he swam slow enough for me to trail nearby and take what is probably my favorite shot of the whole trip. I managed to see this guy on 3 different days of the trip, always in the same area. Not something I will soon forget.

On an excursion recommended by the locals and dear friends of ours who just honeymooned here a month ago we went to "iguana island", which is a deserted little paradise with large lizards running about in the shady areas. This is also the same day I swam in the 7000 foot drop off when our boat stopped there, and was called back in after asking the guys next to me if he "sees that little white thing circling down there?" Our captain said that was, in all likelyhood, a large shark. Other expliots included diving for conch, eating said conch in a fresh ceviche', and snorkeling the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world.

On one of our many walks along the beach, we spotted this fine gent patrolling about 15 feet off shore. I instantly dropped all my stuff and powered up the camera (which rarely left my wrist), while tripping over myself getting my flippers and mask on.

During my excited entry into the water, I dropped my sunglasses into the sand, which were promptly washed out to sea before my ever patient and doting wife came to collect my scatted belongings.

With a tremendous amount of luck I was able to don my mask and recover said shades after Andrea pointed in the general vicinity of where I sprawled my belongings. This was, of course, after I blamed her for losing them...I love you hunny.....

The little guy above the ray is a Jack, surfing on his slipstream.

A pair of pelicans made the area near our resort home. Often resting in the conifers near the water, they would use a long bow over the water as a launch pad for their aerial assaults on the marine world.

I dove down to get a better look at the barrier reef. A fellow snorkeler made for a rather unique photo.

Since quick showers became a regularity later in the week, rainbows became a common sight from our beachfront. After many, many failed exposures, this one came out well enough to keep and work on at home. ...Rainbows are a bitch to shoot...Edit - Reminding self to tone down saturation on this one.

I am not going to lie, this starfish is deader than a doornail, but Andrea found it, and I think it made for a great composition. :)

That woman was eagle-eyes all week, spotting all kinds of stuff this way and that. I was especially impressed with her ability to spot the camouflaged fishes among the sand and rocks several times.